Like North Carolina, UConn had a major academic breakdown. The offenses weren’t the same, but how they were handled cries out for explanation. That will happen about the time Roy Williams wins Dancing with the Stars. All we can do is scratch our heads and wonder why every student at UNC doesn’t major in African and Afro-American Studies.

There were 54 classes in which the only apparent passing requirement was that the student be able to tackle or dribble.

It wrote the manual on double standards and arbitrary justice. In fact, NCAA officials could teach a course on those subjects. If they taught it at North Carolina, it would be in front of an empty room.

Not that anyone from the NCAA would notice.

UNC took a major blow with this scandal. Perception wise. They’ll be scrutinized more and more by the media now. If anything else happens, it will blow up cosmically.

UNC should have been placed on probation and had games/banners vacated. Had Sean May or any of a dozen other UNC basketball players not been enrolled in Afro-American non-studies, they’d have been in eligible. Julius Peppers would have been academically ineligible if it weren’t for those classes. That’s reality. The dude was barely eligible WITH them. UNC cheated and skated. And you can not tell me that Dean Smith, Guthridge, Doherty and Williams were oblivious to this. You may as well try to tell me that Wooden knew nothing about Sam Gilbert. Therefore, all of those guys are just as culpable. This stains the integrity of UNC and Dean Smith forever.

No one will talk about Smith, though. He’s another sacred cow. The man who put more athletes into the NBA than nearly anyone and still only came away with two Championships. The “innovator” of the Four Corners “offense” and the reason that the shot clock was enacted into NCAA Basketball legislation. Did anyone actually stay to watch that garbage or did the stands start to empty once it was employed?

The NCAA being what it is, UNC skates. Smith skates. Roy skates. Doherty ws already run out of town. Duke and K will skate on the Thomas scandal as well. The NCAA wants no part in laying the hammer on it’s two banner programs.

No one said that life is fair, I reckon. But the day will come…and probably not too far off.

Had that same scandal occurred at UK under Calipari or really any program under Calipari, the NCAA would have stepped in and lowered the boom.

Emmert and the rest of the NCAA gang have zero credibility, zero integrity. The Miami AD, Paul Dee, who became NCAA Commissar was proof enough of this.

Some people told me I was crazy when I made that statement prior to Kentucky’s win over Louisville on Saturday but when you watch “MKG” play, it’s tough not to see why he’s more valuable than anyone else in college basketball. Whether it’s a tip in on the offensive glass or a taking a charge in the paint, everything Kidd-Gilchrist does affects one thing — winning. In the Wildcats 69-62 win over the Cardinals on Saturday, the freshman wing tallied 24 points and 19 rebounds while shining brighter than any other player in a game that was loaded with star power. It’s amazing to think that John Calipari welcomed back three starters from last year’s team that reached the Final Four last season in Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, and Darius Miller and Kentucky’s two best players are two freshmen — Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis.

Anthony Davis comes through big for Marquis Teague and the Kentucky Wildcats. With Kentucky up one point, Teague missed the front end of a one and one giving Carolina the ball with twenty seconds on the clock.

Carolina moves the ball down court. Tyler Zeller misses the shot and pushes the rebound out to Henson. Henson goes up for a twelve footer for the win. Davis comes out of nowhere, blocks Hensons shot, jumps up a second time and grabs the ball out of the air.

UNC goes into shock. They had 5 seconds left on the clock. Plenty of time to foul. Ice the shooter and attempt to win the game off of the next possession. But they didn’t react. They froze for a precious 2 seconds.

Davis passed it off to Teague who runs the ball to half court as time runs off the clock.

Josh Harrellson puts in 23 points and grabs 14 rebounds in the win over the hated Louisville Cardinals and Quick Rick. Brandon Knights led all scorers with 25 points. Deandre Liggins did his thing and shut down every hot hand that attempted to score. Swatting one Siva ball into the stands. Liggins and Harrellson are exactly what this team needs for a good run in the tournament. Senior Leadership.

Cal has done wonders with these kids.

In four years, Cal will have a good mix of Seniors, Juniors and One Year Wonders. It’s gonna get nasty. You almost feel for the Cards as they’re so far behind the power curve that they can’t catch up. But, don’t…they deserve their Pitino and everything else that happens to that program.

All of these football people who follow Kentucky have all of these reservations about UK playing Louisville.

All of these Joker apologists have all of these reservations about playing Louisville.

Why?

I thought UK Football had improved so much.

If it had improved so much, UK could and would take any challenge and super it.

Instead we have all of this talk about “is it worth it?” All of these folks admitting that UK could lose a game like this.

Why?

UK has immensely improved in football. Yet, with all of that improvement, it is still flat out MEDIOCRE.

MEDIOCRE

LET ME SAY IT AGAIN…

MEDIOCRE

UK Football is still sitting at roughly 11th place in the SEC and might have gone from a 150 to 200 ranked team to a 90-140 ranked team.

IT’S STILL MEDIOCRE.

I don’t see much to celebrate.

Barely making .500 each year and barely making a Bowl Game.

Still can’t beat Florida. Still can’t beat UT.

BUT HEY! It’s exciting that UK can beat the decent to good SEC Teams when they are having a down year.

UK Football.

It’s a joke.

If there isn’t significant improvement in the Second Year of Joker, I think the guy should be fired. Especially if there is a set back. If UK doesn’t win at least 8 games next season, the Joke should be terminated. Period.

I’m tired of being forced to cheer for 5th Rate Football. I’m equally tired of the perenially lie that UK is coming up. I’m tired of exhortations to believe.

Screw that…show me something. Something.

And I’m not talking about 2nd rate bowls or winning at Tennessee when UT SUCKS!

GO BIG BLUE!!!

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins posted his 12th double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds as No. 1 Kentucky bounced back from an upset loss to South Carolina with a 85-72 win over No. 23 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

Darnell Dodson added 16 points in a rare start for the Wildcats (20-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference), who played like the nation’s top-ranked team for long stretches in front of special guest LeBron James.

Aside from the honor associated with receiving this magnanimous gesture, it’s publicity of the highest order. This is a publicity bonanza.

Coach Cal is a master. I’m not saying that he did this for the press that it’s garnered. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that the University of Kentucky is getting a public lift that is amazing in scale. It’s unbelievable what Coach Cal has done.

I have to admire the man.

He’s amazing.

UK has not seen this kind of public adulation since…well, not in my memory.

Congratulations Coach Cal and to the Cats are in order. This is incredible. I love it.

It’s awesome to be a Cat fan right now and to be associated with this incredible team and its Coach.

With the Gators and Wildcats being down for the last several years, the SEC has struggled to gain its footing nationally. Tennessee and Bruce Pearl make a nice story, sure, but they are nothing compared to the vaunted Wildcats.

This is the cold, hard truth that the rest of the SEC doesn’t want to acknowledge.

When it comes to basketball, UK is the SEC. The SEC needs a dominant Kentucky in order to be relevant. Much like the ACC needs FSU in order to remain relevant in the BCS of Football. It’s the natural order.

Get used to it.

Kentucky is back. Coach Cal will keep UK at the top. More than likely, Cal will stay 8 to 10 years which means that Mitch Barnhart should should be keeping an eye out for a successor. It’s too early to bring in an assistant. Two or three years down the line, Cal should start looking for someone to whom he can hand the reins. Recruit this young and talented coach to the bench at UK and start his training to take over. Unlike Tubby Smith, Cal selects young and enthusiastic talent for his bench. No re-treads on the bench under Coach Cal. Keep that bench full of young hungry assistant and associate coaches. Hopefully, Cal finds a few ex-players from UK teams to carry the torch after he leaves.

2018 or so, Cal can hand the reins over to a pre-selected individual. No coaching searches. No guessing. Simply a seamless turn over. This is how it should be done.

I purchased a couple of UK sweatshirts to give to my little friends over at the RHQ. I wanted to give the sweat shirts to the kids before I left for leave as a Christmas gift. I didn’t have the time, though. So I put them away until after my R&R.

Wahid, Shoaib and I took the sweatshirts and a few other items (puzzles and candy) to the kids today. It was fun playing with the kids and explaining them the meaning of the puzzles. I explained to them who Donald and Daisy Duck and Huey, Dewey and Louie are as well as the 101 Dalmatians and the Cookie Monster. As I was doing it, Shoaib reminded me that I used to call Wahid the cookie monster. When I first met Wahid, he scammed one of my cookies off of me. I got mad and told him that I’d kick his ass if he ever touched my stuff again. lol Then I started messing with him and nicknamed him cookie monster. It ran on for a year and finally I just let it tail off. He was pretty embarrassed by it. Of course, that just made me rub it in all the more.

We gave them the sweatshirts and the candy. Baba brought over his baby girls as well. They were cute little girls. One of them was scared to death of me and the other just looked at me as if I was a curiosity. I laughed and laughed. Kept tell ing her; “so you’re the brave one of the family” and laughing. She let me hold her and talked to me and generally was a fearless little gal. I loved it. Too cool.

After the boys put on their sweatshirts, I got them to pose with the flags and yell “Go Big Blue!” It was too funny and too cute. I wish I had my vidcam, but, I left it in Thailand with Unny. I had to coax Nahida over to get into the picture. She gets shy when the camera comes out.

I sometimes wonder what these kids think of all of this. I’m some strange American man and I bring them things for no reason. Shoaib teased Nahida today and told her that I wanted to take her back to the States to marry my son. She didn’t take to the idea. I told her that he was joking and I don’t have a son. No need to worry about that. Even so, she seemed nervous the whole time. As if she thought we might take her away.

I kept re-assuring her that it was in no way going to happen. Although, I’d love to adopt her and take her home with me. Get her away from the fate that most likely awaits her as an adult Afghan woman. Send her to school and lead her to a happier life.

I gave Shoaib the camera and he snapped away as I played and acted like a kid myself. I think they enjoyed it. Little Jalil called me Dear Uncle today. I can’t remember the Dari word for Uncle or I’d type it here. Then Jalil and Ali started calling me Dawood Khan. lol That’s what was on my name tag on my uniform when I first met them. I laughed and laughed. I got them to yell “Kentucky!” and “GO BIG BLUE!”, “Patrick Patterson” and “John Wall.” I was trying to get them to say “The Great Wall of Kentucky!” But I think it was too long. lol

John Wall #11 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots the ball while defended by Marcus Ginyard #1 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the game on December 5, 2009 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 68-66. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) Andy Lyons

No.5 Kentucky edges No.10 North Carolina

Big Cuz talked a big game but didn’t put up much to show for it. He’ll have plenty of chances to redeem himself, though.

Half time came and went and suddenly the Cats were no longer taking it to them. Wall, apparently, had cramps. #54 held it down, but, no one else stepped up while Blue Jesus was out.

Finally, though, Eric Bledsoe took advantage of opportunity and iced his free throws and Wall came back in time to to help putt he game away. EB and JW put the final touches on a nice win by hitting 5 of 6 in the final 30 seconds as the Cats held off the Tar Heels.

A nice halt to a 5 game skid that began back in the days of TLT and continued through the lunacy that was Billy Gillispie.

Excellent Game Guys. Wish I could have watched it. AFN doesn’t think that College Basketball is very popular overseas, so I’ll have to catch it tomorrow on tape delay. Better late than never though.

Thanksfully, the guys at Wildcatnation.net kept me up to date throughout the game. If the game was half as frantic as the chat room, tape delay probably saved me a heart attack.

Patrick Patterson added 19 points and seven rebounds for Kentucky (8-0), which snapped a five-game losing streak to the Tar Heels (7-2) and inched closer to becoming the first program to reach 2,000 victories. The Wildcats have 1,996, while North Carolina has 1,991.

Wall and fellow freshman Eric Bledsoe made sure of it, making 5 of 6 free throws in the last 30 seconds after North Carolina had trimmed a 19-point deficit to two.

Freshman star John Wall shook off a leg injury to finish with 16 points, including the clinching free throws with 4 seconds remaining, and the fifth-ranked Wildcats held off No. 10 North Carolina 68-66 on Saturday.

The win pushed Kentucky’s victory total to 1,996, just head of North Carolina’s 1,991. Not that the Wildcats were concerned with history.

The win pushed Kentucky’s victory total to 1,996, just head of North Carolina’s 1,991. Not that the Wildcats were concerned with history.

‘You guys are going to say I’m crazy, but I’m happy with the way it played out,” said coach John Calipari. ”We let the other team come at us. We gave up way too many (3s) but I’m proud of my guys. We did what we needed to do. We had just enough.”

The win pushed Kentucky’s victory total to 1,996, just head of North Carolina’s 1,991. Not that the Wildcats were concerned with history.

For a team whose motto is ”envy our past, fear our future,” the first signature win of Calipari’s tenure proved his rebuilding job is well ahead of schedule.

”I hope it just gives people some respect for us that we’re a pretty good team,” Wall said. ”We did what we were supposed to, come out with a win against a great team.”

Consider North Carolina coach Roy Williams convinced, particularly after the Wildcats took control with an explosive 28-2 run in the first half.

”You’ve got to give them congratulations, they really kicked our butts,” Williams said. ”They just ran us out of the gym.”

In a 94-57 defeat of UNC-Asheville, John Wall dishes out 14 assists breaking the single game record for assists by a Frosh. Consider that against the backdrop of UK greats. Amazing. This kid is a big time talent. Not that we didn’t already know that. DeMarcus Cousins threw down a double double and ended the game with 24 points and 12 boards and going 8 for 10 at the line in a mere 17 minutes of PT. Darnell Dodson was resurrected from Coach Cal purgatory and blasted UNCA for 15 points. Of course, Patterson gives his usual-17 pts and 9 boards. These boys are for real. The whole cast and crew. I can’t wait to get home and watch these guys blast a hole in the SEC Tournament.

Instead, the Wildcats walked all over North Carolina Asheville – with an assist from point guard John Wall.

Fourteen of them, in fact.

Sparked by Wall’s slick second-half passing, No. 5 UK stomped on the Bulldogs 94-57 in their final tuneup before Saturday’s game against No. 11 North Carolina.

Wall – who earlier Monday had been named the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week – had a career-high 14 assists, five of them on consecutive baskets in the second half.

Wall’s assist total was one shy of Travis Ford’s single-game UK record, set against Eastern Kentucky University on Dec. 8, 1993, and the most ever by a UK freshman in a single game.

Wall added 12 points, including a spectacular one-handed dunk on a baseline drive with 2:13 to play. He was named the Greater Louisville UK Alumni Club’s Player of the Game.

It was Wall’s second double-double of the season. He had 21 points and 11 assists in a win against Rider on Nov. 21.

During an open practice on Sunday, UK’s Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins and Josh Harrellson had playfully stomped on the Cardinal logo at halfcourt, to the delight of fans in attendance.

There were no such antics from the players on Monday, though UK’s Wildcat mascot followed their lead during halftime.

Instead, the Cats (7-0) entertained fans on Monday with a second-half dunking display against the undersized Bulldogs.

After the game Leach asked Big Cuz about the upcoming contest against North Carolina. Big Cuz responded with: “Yeah I not impressed…” Hope he can keep that promise. Carolina is not the juggernaut that they were last season or in their last championship season. Even so, they’re not and never will be a push over. I have faith that our boys will take them this year in Rupp. Led by Patrick Patterson and John Wall, Kentucky is no pushover this year either. With Big Cuz mixing it up in the paint, Dodson throwing down treys, Bledsoe out there with him and the rest of the crew, I’m confident that Kentucky is going to take another step in the right direction and get one win closer to that 2,000 win mark.

Go Cats!

Wall did his best to provide a little entertainment for what figures to be his only game at Freedom Hall during his collegiate career.

He threw down a wicked reverse dunk on a break and followed it up moments later with another slam after a steal. UNC-Asheville’s J.P. Primm didn’t even bother chasing Wall down the court, trotting once Wall got behind him as the Kentucky star swooped in for the jam.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky men’s basketball student-athlete John Wall has been certified with conditions by the NCAA. The conditions are repayment of expenses and a two-game withholding, including the first exhibition game versus Campbellsville (Nov. 2) and the first regular-season game against Morehead State (Nov. 13).

Wall, a 6-4 freshman point guard from Raleigh, N.C., was one of five freshmen on the Naismith Preseason watch list. A pre-season All-American according to several national publications, Wall was the top recruit in the country last season according to Rivals.com.

“I’m grateful to have this decision behind me. All I ever wanted was to go to school and play ball with my team,” said UK freshman John Wall. “This has been really hard for my mom and I want to thank her for her support during this process.”

The repayment of expenses includes a total of $787.58, consisting predominantly of travel expenses incurred during Wall’s unofficial visits to various institutions during his junior year at Word of God Christian Academy.

“We’re appreciative of the process and the NCAA’s willingness to listen,” said UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart. “The NCAA staff worked to keep the welfare of the student-athlete in mind throughout this process. I’m happy for Coach Calipari and John Wall that he will get a chance to represent the Wildcats this season. He’s a great young man and deserves to be able to concentrate fully on his academics and basketball.”

“John Wall is a great kid who always tries to do the right thing and his mother is a great lady,” said UK head coach John Calipari. “I’m just happy this is behind us.”

John Wall must repay 757.58 USD to his former AAU Coach. His AAU Coach was a registered, though, inactive agent. It’s a bunch of hogwash. The archaic NCAA rule book, though, is full of idiotic rules.

A Duke player can be paid. A USC player can be paid. ZERO repercussions to the program. Those two incidents were proven and the parties involved even publically admitted to the facts and allegations. A player is alleged to have cheated on an SAT. No proof mind you. The NCAA lays down sanctions.

What is the difference between what occurred at Duke and that which occurred at UMASS.

One thing: Coach K!

That is the only difference. Had it been any other coach or any other program and that Final Four banner would be gone from the official records. Oh yeah, and most of the press would be writing articles about it and how it’s the end of the world for Amateurism. Coach K could personally pay players. Get caught red handed. On video. Deny it. The NCAA would claim that it had no proof against him.

This time next year, I’m sure that the NCAA will re-open the investigation on John Wall. I’m sure that they’ll find something that they missed. I’m sure taht John Wall will be ruled retro-actively ineligible.

BUT! Only if UK and Coach Cal make it to the Final Four and Championship game. If UK bails out of the tournament in the Sweet 16 or below. No one will say a thing.

“I’ve done enough,” Calipari said Thursday at the first official media day since leaving Memphis. “I’m waiting for election day. I was kissing babies, and I didn’t care if I won or lost the election. I just wanted it to happen.”

Calipari is well aware that the passionate UK fans care strongly about whether he wins or loses. They want wins — preferably in bunches.

The program’s recent buzz has been sparked not just by its energetic new leader but by his debut recruiting haul, a freshman class arguably the most touted since Michigan’s Fab Five.

Yet unlike that 1991-92 Wolverines team that reached the national title game with five freshman starters, Kentucky has plenty of experience to go along with the new blood. Patrick Patterson was an all-Southeastern Conference center last year during Kentucky’s National Invitation Tournament season. Kentucky’s roster is so deep, Calipari envisions Patterson playing some wing this year.

This is going to be a hell of a year. Big Pat is back on the scene with a mission. He’s got help from incoming Frosh John Wall, Big Cuz, Orton and Eric Bledsoe as well as Darius Miller and the remainder of the returning team.

Big things are expected and these guys can take care of business and meet those expectations. I can see making Final Four this season. Of course, everything will have to go right for the team. Keep the injuries down. Cohesion and Esprit de Corps will be important factors. With the Cal DDS system, there should be plenty of PT for all of the stars that make up this team. Cal has been to two Final Fours and I can see this being his 3rd with the possibility of going al the way to the Title Game and bringing home banner #8.

A year that doesn’t end in a National Championship will not be catastrophic. Less than a Final Four would surprise me. I see this team slicing through the SEC like a hot knife through butter. I’m sure there will be challenges, but, I see enough talent to overcome a few bouts with youth and inexperience.

Everything I read about John Wall says that the kid will be an instant player for Kentucky and Coach Cal. Big Cuz is supposed to be a monster. Daniel Orton should be a beast down low. Eric Bledsoe may be better than advertised which would be impressive as he’s supposed to be a future lottery pick. Darius Miller can take care of spot duty at the point and become an assassin on the wings. These things take place and it’s gonna be a huge year.

HUGE!

Bottom line is that Patrick Patterson didn’t come back for the hell of it. The man came back to get his. I’m hoping he gets it. Patrick Patterson leads this team to a Championship this year and he will go down in history as one of THE greats of Kentucky Basketball. He could well supplant Dan Issel as THE GREATEST.